APPELLATE HIGHLIGHTS

In re R.G., 2017 UT 79 (Nov. 15, 2017).

Nov 15, 2017

Two juvenile defendants accused of aggravated sexual assault appealed the denial of a motion to suppress post-Miranda statements to detective. The supreme court held that the juveniles knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived their Miranda rights, given the totality of the circumstances, even though parents were not present during the interview. In a footnote, the court observed that best practices might include videotaping the interview, notifying parents, inviting a parent to be present, and taking additional steps to ensure that the juvenile understood the import of the Miranda warning.